LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech women’s basketball players Jordan Barncastle and Haley Schneider play a character on the court any time the Lady Raiders are out on the floor.

This past week, they played different characters, helping with “Literacy Event” at Wheelock Elementary School in Lubbock.

The event was put on to help promote the importance of literacy and how literacy contributes to a successful life – something that Schneider and Barncastle each show in the classroom all the time as top academic student-athletes at Texas Tech.

“It was really cool,” Barncastle said. “We had a lot of fun getting to interact with all the different kids. They would tell them who we are and then we got to spend time just hanging out with the kids and taking pictures with them. It’s just important to give back to the community in any that we can, even if it’s just holding a puppet and reading a story. It means a lot to them.”

Students rotated from classroom to classroom to hear the different readings from everyone participating in the event. Barncastle and Schneider found out about the event through Betty Doris Laroe, the mother-in-law of Dan Burns who is the director of United Spirit Arena. Both Lady Raiders assisted Mrs. Laroe in reading stories to the children in the classrooms – even acting out some parts with hand puppets.

“That was a lot of fun,” Barncastle said. “She read while we held up puppets and just tried to help illustrate the story to help the kids focus on it and have fun with it at the same time.”

Barncastle said she especially takes a lot of pride in getting the different opportunities to work with children throughout the Lubbock community. She has been able to work with children through UMC Children’s Hospital, Covenant Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House, among others.

Barncastle was recognized for her community service efforts, leadership on and off the court as well as athletic and academic achievements when she was named one of 10 members to this year’s Chick-Fil-A Winter Circle of Champions. The group recognizes one student-athlete from each of the Big 12 Conference schools each year and awards the school a $4,500 check in their honor.

A biology major from Martin’s Mill, Texas, Barncastle was also named to the Big 12 All-Academic First Team for the second consecutive year.

She said she hopes everyone out there with hopes of playing college sports one day understands the importance of getting out in the community for any project and how much it can mean to the fans that come to watch them play every week – especially children.

“They look up to us just on the fact that we play basketball at Texas Tech,” Barncastle said. “Getting involved with the community is a huge part of what we do and how we represent ourselves and this team. Its probably the most important thing we can do for our fans to show our support and do positive things in our community.